- Date
- August 10, 1991, 10:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Spring, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N49BPLars Avid Flyer
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910810033069A
- Case key
- 18122
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's delay in flaring the airplane. Factors were: (1) stuck piston rings and (2) the pilot's failure to use flaps.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported hearing two successive loud explosions. Engine rpms dropped from 6500 to 2800-3000, and the engine did not respond to throttle application. The pilot made a no-flap forced landing. When he attempted to flare with full aft elevator, there was no response. Control continuity was later established. The engine was functionally tested and developed full power. Subsequent engine disassembly disclosed the piston rings were stuck in the ring grooves.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49BP
- Reported as
- Lars Avid Flyer
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 216
- Engine
- Bombardier ROTAX 532, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Muenzel, Hans G.A.
- Registered owner
- Muenzel, Hans G.A.
- Departed
- C050 · Ellicott, CO
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 347 total · 13 in this make and model · 317 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.